MANILA, Philippines - Indie actress Mercedes Cabral and filmmaker Erik Matti have issued fiery statements in response to Mother Lily Monteverde’s controversial remark about indie films.
Speaking to reporters, Regal Films matriarch Monteverde revealed that she was saddened by the exclusion of “Mano Po 7: Chinoy” from the official list of entries to the 2016 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF). The latest instalment of the “Mano Po” franchise will be out on theatres a little earlier than the start of the yearly film festival, December 14.
"Sana naman after this year, they [the MMFF screening committee] should understand -- it's not that I'm teaching them pero all these poor people, mayroon silang mga bonus. Once they get their bonus, they bring the whole family to the movies to watch. ...Sayang lang nanghihinayang ako sa mga bata,” Montoverde said.
"There is a time for the indie movies. But not during the Christmas season. Christmas is for the family,” she added.
Cabral, one of the lead stars of the film Oro, also an official entry to the MMFF, expressed her outrage over Monteverde’s comment through a Facebook post.
“Nakaka-awa ang mga bata??? Sabihin mo lang e ang habol mo lang e kita ng pelikula mo. Saka bayaran mo ng maayos mga tao mo. Ni hindi ka nga makapag bayad ng matino sa mga taong nagtatatrabaho sayo e. At kayo lang ba ang may karapatan magpalabas ng pelikula tuwing pasko? F**king id*ot,” Cabral wrote.
Alvin Yapan, Oro’s director, echoed Cabral’s sentiments through a cryptic Facebook post: “BATA’: A much abused term in Filipino film discourse.”
Seklusyon director Matti also issued a statement on his Facebook account and warned against the indiscriminate comparisons between mainstream and indie movies.
“Hinay hinay sa paghamak at paginsulto ng salitang INDIE na parang ito'y may ketong na dapat layuan. Ang indie at mainstream ay parehong pelikula rin lang at wag na po ihiwalay sa isa't isa. Ang indie, tulad ng mainstream, ay pwedeng malalim o mababaw, matalino o stupido, nakakatawa o nakakaiyak, commercial o artistic, pambata o pangmatanda o panghugot, cheap o big budget. Pareho pong pelikula yan,” Matti wrote.
For the first time in years, the films of Vic Sotto, Vice Ganda and Monteverde were not included in the MMFF. Nicanor Tiongson, head of the MMFF 2016 selection committee revealed that the panel selected the entries based on “quality” rather than the film’s potential to sell tickets.
As of this writing, Monteverde has not released a statement regarding the issue.
Watch the video report.
--Mini, The Summit Express
Speaking to reporters, Regal Films matriarch Monteverde revealed that she was saddened by the exclusion of “Mano Po 7: Chinoy” from the official list of entries to the 2016 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF). The latest instalment of the “Mano Po” franchise will be out on theatres a little earlier than the start of the yearly film festival, December 14.
"Sana naman after this year, they [the MMFF screening committee] should understand -- it's not that I'm teaching them pero all these poor people, mayroon silang mga bonus. Once they get their bonus, they bring the whole family to the movies to watch. ...Sayang lang nanghihinayang ako sa mga bata,” Montoverde said.
"There is a time for the indie movies. But not during the Christmas season. Christmas is for the family,” she added.
Cabral, one of the lead stars of the film Oro, also an official entry to the MMFF, expressed her outrage over Monteverde’s comment through a Facebook post.
“Nakaka-awa ang mga bata??? Sabihin mo lang e ang habol mo lang e kita ng pelikula mo. Saka bayaran mo ng maayos mga tao mo. Ni hindi ka nga makapag bayad ng matino sa mga taong nagtatatrabaho sayo e. At kayo lang ba ang may karapatan magpalabas ng pelikula tuwing pasko? F**king id*ot,” Cabral wrote.
Alvin Yapan, Oro’s director, echoed Cabral’s sentiments through a cryptic Facebook post: “BATA’: A much abused term in Filipino film discourse.”
Seklusyon director Matti also issued a statement on his Facebook account and warned against the indiscriminate comparisons between mainstream and indie movies.
“Hinay hinay sa paghamak at paginsulto ng salitang INDIE na parang ito'y may ketong na dapat layuan. Ang indie at mainstream ay parehong pelikula rin lang at wag na po ihiwalay sa isa't isa. Ang indie, tulad ng mainstream, ay pwedeng malalim o mababaw, matalino o stupido, nakakatawa o nakakaiyak, commercial o artistic, pambata o pangmatanda o panghugot, cheap o big budget. Pareho pong pelikula yan,” Matti wrote.
For the first time in years, the films of Vic Sotto, Vice Ganda and Monteverde were not included in the MMFF. Nicanor Tiongson, head of the MMFF 2016 selection committee revealed that the panel selected the entries based on “quality” rather than the film’s potential to sell tickets.
As of this writing, Monteverde has not released a statement regarding the issue.
Watch the video report.
--Mini, The Summit Express
